“Pioneering the idea that veganism doesn’t have to be unimaginative or limiting, our mission has always been a simple one: to promote a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle without sacrificing taste.” – VxBristol.com
If you follow a plant-based diet or live a vegan lifestyle you’ve probably been harassed a little on what the hell you eat. It seems like outside of our little (yet constantly growing) community everybody is aggressively blind to the many options we have. Even in just the two short years I’ve identified as vegan I’ve seen a massive growth in the diversity of products that line the shelves of our everyday shops – but I suppose, the only reason why we know that they’re there in the first place is because we’re actively looking for them.
When it comes to spreading awareness about the vegan movement I think it’s important to be subtle yet unapologetic in our approach, which is why I think it’s incredible that a purely vegan cafe is situated just a mile from Bristol’s city centre. And it’s not the only one of it’s kind either, Vx also has a smaller cafe open on Caledonian Road, just a short walk from London’s King’s Cross train station. It’s not pushy. It’s not “in your face” – it’s just… there. And you can come and try some alternative food, or not.
Over the Easter break we drove down to Bristol’s Vx Cafe to finally taste some of the wonderfully gluttonous food we’ve seen plastered all over Instagram lately – and let me tell you it did not disappoint. We had a table reserved on the Wednesday morning and we drove down super early because we were literally too excited to wait. Our plan had been to wander around some of the local shops, however the rain had other ideas. Thankfully we were able to sneak in and get an earlier table.
I’m not quite sure what I expected before walking through the doors, but I was so glad to be welcomed with friendly faces and an extremely laid back decor. If there’s one thing that puts me off a place it’s snootiness – and Vx was far from snooty. The entire cafe is seriously laid back, with miss-matched furniture and recycled condiment bottles. It’s comfy and chilled – almost like being at home – but with far better food choices.
“It’s hearty, it’s real, and it’s everything you need when you’re craving some fast-food goodness. “
We took our time mulling over the menu but I ended up opting for the Vx burger with cheese and pickles. Sam went for the Hell Dog with Sriracha mayo (both pictured above) and it was absolutely love at first bite. You know it’s good food when you’re just sat in silence nodding enthusiastically. I haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying some good quality junk-food since I quit eating meat four years ago, and it was almost liberating to sit in a cafe on a busy high-street enjoying a burger like a somewhat “normal” person. It was everything I had hoped it would be too. I’ve had some pretty great vegan burgers but not on this scale. Unlike the raw, health-conscious patties I’ve become accustomed to since turning vegan this was classic, instantly gratifying junk food and it was so good. You know that feeling of naughtiness you get when you’re indulging? I feel like Vx fully captures that emotion and pours it into their food. It’s hearty, it’s real, and it’s everything you need when you’re craving some fast-food goodness.
Whilst we were ecstatic to be finally chowing down on some nostalgia-inducing convenience food, it’s time to admit the real reason why we travelled from Herefordshire down to Bristol….
Behold – the Monster Vego Milkshake.
“We strive to give our customers a veganised version of the type of food we all grew up loving…” VxBristol.com
Yes. Yes that is a doughnut topped with cream and chocolate sprinkles on top of a milkshake. And it was every bit as sugar-loaded as it looks. It was ridiculous. It was so good that all I could do was cackle with laughter while trying to get through it. At one point the cream slipped off the doughnut and landed literally in the palm of my hand, and you know what I did? I ate it anyway. This milkshake is the milkshake to end all other milkshakes. It’s the absolute sass-queen of milkshakes. With little pieces of Vego chocolate, chocolate sauce, and an all-round guilty free experience there is no way you can go wrong with this. If you’re feeling brave and you’ve left enough tummy space you can’t pass this up. Even if you travel simply for this milkshake it would be a journey well worth doing. This thing was an absolute monster, and with the weather getting warmer I can’t imagine spending a summer without one of these to cool me down and fill me with sheer childhood joy. And if you’re a nut-allergy sufferer like my husband unfortunately is Vx also offer an Oreo option so you don’t have to miss out!
And you know what made our dining experience at Vx Bristol even better? We didn’t have to save up for it. It wasn’t an event that we had to make sacrifices for, and it didn’t leave us struggling to meet the end of the month – in fact it was so reasonably priced that I almost felt bad. Most of their prices are listed on their website – however there are no online prices for the Monster Milkshakes. (Although I can tell you that I ordered two and they both came to under £10 which would bring our total meal to under £25.)
Fancy trying some vegan junk food?
Book your table at Vx Bristol : Vx Bristol Reservations
Leigh Clrk 